I'm adapting a meme that I saw several days ago, which has followed me all week. It made me ponder the difference between stories that inspire me to take one character more to heart than any of the others (as much as I may love the others), versus stories in which no one character claims that position (as much as I love the source material).

Sometimes, the difference is inherent in the source storytelling! But often, I suspect, the emergence of a singular favorite may have as much to do with my interactions with others about the source material. For example, I remember exactly when I felt an outraged need to defend EQ's Strongbow against a disrespectful dismissal in a published letter (this was back in the days of letter pages). Before that, I didn't have a favorite EQ character; ever since, I have. And I didn't join FKdom knowing that I was a Knightie; I sincerely considered other affiliations (even the Natpack, believe it or not!) before I knew myself and the fandom well enough to recognize my fundamental Knightieness. :-)

10 fandoms in which I have a singular favorite character

Forever Knight : Nick

Highlander : Duncan

Marvel (all) : Wanda

Beauty and the Beast (CBS) : Vincent

ElfQuest : Strongbow

Harry Potter : Luna

Star Trek: Deep Space 9 : Jadzia

Robotech : Lisa

Forever : Henry

Once Upon a Time : Mulan

10 fandoms in which I have no singular favorite character

Young Blades

Battlestar Galactica (1978)

Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman

Buffyverse

Monarch of the Glen

Ballykissangel

Star Trek : The Next Generation

Star Trek (TOS/AOS)

Grimm

Person of Interest

What about you? When and why do you have singular favorite characters?
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